Floating Northern Lights hotel planned in Norway
A unique eco-luxury hotel is set to be built in Norway and will become Europe’s first floating hotel under the Northern Lights.
The Krystall hotel will be located just outside of Tromsø. It will feature a snowflake design that will float on the surrounding Norwegian waters, while the largely glass structure will allow guests to enjoy the wonders of the Northern Lights above.
Dutch Docklands, based in Holland, are behind the project. They are one of the world’s leading specialists of floating projects and international developers of floating real estate and hotels on water.
Company founder and architect, Koen Olthuis, said to The Local: “After a long intensive period of research on location and regulations, work has started. Key for the Krystall's design was that it should be a simple glass building that would allow guests to get the most spectacular view on the Northern Lights from their beds.”
The snowflake design of The Krystall hotel. Photo: Dutch Docklands
Building work will begin on the Krystall in the summer of 2015 and the hotel will open around December 2016.
The exact location has not yet been revealed, but it will be just outside of Tromsø. Olthius explained: “We will not yet state the exact location before we have handled all the necessary licenses and paperwork. As you can imagine, the environmental assessment study is the most important aspect for us because we want to be absolutely ‘scarless’ on the environment. This is the main driver behind our projects.”
Future guests of the Krystall hotel will be able to enjoy an 86-room, 5-star experience, equipped with conference rooms, spa and gym facilities. Visitors and staff will only be able to reach the hotel by boat.
The cost of the project is unconfirmed. Olthuis said: “We can’t reveal the exact budget now, but it is about 15 percent more expensive to build a structure with a floating foundation than it would be to build the same hotel on land.”
The project was originally devised in 2008, but the financial crisis put plans on hold. Now the time is right to bring a truly unique hotel concept to one of Norway’s best-known visitor hotspots.
The project is one of several floating developments the company are working on. The Krystall is termed a ‘scarless development’ because of its low impact on the environment.
“If you take the hotel away after 100 years or so it will not leave any physical footprint. That is the only way to bring developments to such a precious and beautiful marine environment in Norway, explained Olthius.
With its unique snowflake design and celebration of its natural surroundings the Krystall hotel is set to attract luxury travellers everywhere. Olthius said: “We are overwhelmed by all the worldwide media attention we have got. It proves that destination hotels that are different from the standard are still very appealing.”
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The Krystall hotel will be located just outside of Tromsø. It will feature a snowflake design that will float on the surrounding Norwegian waters, while the largely glass structure will allow guests to enjoy the wonders of the Northern Lights above.
Dutch Docklands, based in Holland, are behind the project. They are one of the world’s leading specialists of floating projects and international developers of floating real estate and hotels on water.
Company founder and architect, Koen Olthuis, said to The Local: “After a long intensive period of research on location and regulations, work has started. Key for the Krystall's design was that it should be a simple glass building that would allow guests to get the most spectacular view on the Northern Lights from their beds.”
The snowflake design of The Krystall hotel. Photo: Dutch Docklands
Building work will begin on the Krystall in the summer of 2015 and the hotel will open around December 2016.
The exact location has not yet been revealed, but it will be just outside of Tromsø. Olthius explained: “We will not yet state the exact location before we have handled all the necessary licenses and paperwork. As you can imagine, the environmental assessment study is the most important aspect for us because we want to be absolutely ‘scarless’ on the environment. This is the main driver behind our projects.”
Future guests of the Krystall hotel will be able to enjoy an 86-room, 5-star experience, equipped with conference rooms, spa and gym facilities. Visitors and staff will only be able to reach the hotel by boat.
The cost of the project is unconfirmed. Olthuis said: “We can’t reveal the exact budget now, but it is about 15 percent more expensive to build a structure with a floating foundation than it would be to build the same hotel on land.”
The project was originally devised in 2008, but the financial crisis put plans on hold. Now the time is right to bring a truly unique hotel concept to one of Norway’s best-known visitor hotspots.
The project is one of several floating developments the company are working on. The Krystall is termed a ‘scarless development’ because of its low impact on the environment.
“If you take the hotel away after 100 years or so it will not leave any physical footprint. That is the only way to bring developments to such a precious and beautiful marine environment in Norway, explained Olthius.
With its unique snowflake design and celebration of its natural surroundings the Krystall hotel is set to attract luxury travellers everywhere. Olthius said: “We are overwhelmed by all the worldwide media attention we have got. It proves that destination hotels that are different from the standard are still very appealing.”
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